Why Introverts Make Good Solo Travelers

Shy. Reserved. Boring. This is how the society generally categorizes an Introvert. But when an Introvert starts Solo Traveling, then the society starts categorizing them with words like ‘adventurous’, ‘brave’ and ‘fearless’. Only an Introvert can completely understand another Introvert. I am an Introvert and am not really the shy kind. Well I am not the kind who would start a conversation either. After I took my First Solo Trip, I realized that I can really enjoy traveling alone. If I can then any Introvert can. And Why Introverts make good Solo Travelers. Here we go…..

This may not be a point just for Introverts. Taking a Solo Trip is challenging for an Extrovert as well since Extroverts are not used to traveling without company. Introverts are usually the people who rarely come out of the comfort zone. Getting out there and facing the world is a big deal for some one who doesn’t like to put themselves out there.

Solo traveling comes with its own downtime where you will have to spend a lot of time alone. Introverts are well adept to that. There will be times when a flight gets delayed or you miss a bus. We are just happy to sit around and wait. We usually pull out a book while we wait or involve ourselves in people watching (without being creepy). Long journeys are just another walk in the park.

We find Deeper Friendships:

source : http://www.siamoi.com/asia-party-tours.jpg

Introverts are totally against small talk. We prefer having deeper conversations that are more meaningful. We are the kind who speak less and say more. Because of this ability we tend to have a deeper one on one conversation with fellow travelers. We are good listeners and are willing to listen to your endless travel stories. This is how Introverts make friends on the road.

We always see tourists rushing from one spot to another ticking off places of their list. Introverts never care about having a list. We usually try to avoid the touristy places. If we like a place very much, then we tend to stay there for a longer period of time till we are one with the place. This way we know more about the destination and the culture and learn to live like a local. We are totally OK to miss out on other places for this one experience.

We are the less noisy ones and never attract attention. If we don’t want to be spotted we can turn ON the Ninja mode. We can blend in with the crowd and not stick out like a sore thumb. We are very observant and love watching as the world goes by. We immerse ourselves in the surroundings and become one with a destination. This skill allows us to understand the complexities of foreign lands and begin to make sense of new cultures and different ways of living. We don’t push ourselves onto places, instead we let places come to us.

I’m a half and half – intro-extro – but solo travel is my favorite type of travel. I value that alone time so much, and I can do what I want, when I want, and no one can tell me otherwise 🙂 Thanks for sharing!

Very well written and I have to agree on the majority of the points you made. I love being alone and i’m no shy, just quiet sometimes. I love traveling alone and doing things by myself and I think your right only an introvert can really understand another introvert! I can’t even bother to write a grocery list let alone tourist list, live life and take it as it comes. perfectly peaceful in my own solitude and your write we don’t need books or people watching to pass the time!

I hear you i can totally relate with this. Married now i still make my wife do all the chatting if we meet people or need to ask questions. I can be hard to strike up a conversation and as mentioned i am comfortable with my own company and don’t really need anyone else beside my wife and kids.

Love this post. Honestly I was an extrovert when I started travelling, craving company, but became an introvert from travel. It’s a bit odd, but it’s how it went. Perhaps I just had to adjust to solo travel in that way. Anyway, great post!

Actually, I think that two introverts traveling together can work quite well, since they naturaly respect each other’s space and have no problem taking breaks from each other. But I do often travel solo, and I’m certainly an introvert, and can identify with all these points.

Great post, I haven’t done a lot of solo leisure (only work) travel but you’ve made me want to! I’m a introvert/extrovert. I can totally be the loud one in a group but really appreciate my alone time too. 🙂

Interesting observations about traveling solo and being an introvert….I typically meet a lot of solo travelers and many quiet types, but I’m always very curious and try to bring introverts out of their shell if I get a chance.

Love this post! Although I am in between the two, I guess its called ‘ambivert’, I can totally agree with your points. Hope you got to learn a lot about yourself during your travels, because it sure did help me learn a bit more of my introvert side. 🙂

Yes!! This is so true. I’m an introvert to a T, and I prefer solo travel most of the time. I like being able to follow my own schedule and not have to worry about meeting the needs of other people too.

Awesome! I am more of an extrovert in that I am energised by being around people more than solitude but also like to turn on the ninja mode from time to time and blend in and of course sit quietly in deep conversation with someone in the corner.

We love the outward celebration of differences. Too often, society focuses on being the “best” which predefines a linear scale to judge success. The world is a complex mesh of interconnection and multiple solutions. There isn’t always a singular answer, let alone a best answer. Be true to yourself. Travel the way you live and you will see the world the way you were meant to see it.